Ice
by bandgrad2008
Summary: Far apart and together, Fiona and Imogen won't let anything stop them.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi.**

**A/N: So I've been working on this for the past couple of days or so, much to BrutalicTragedy's insistence...So happy that Fimogen is canon ^_^**

**Enjoy.**

_Fiona sits alone at lunch, her notebook open beside her tray, her fork on autopilot as she absentmindedly eats without even bothering to taste her food. She's reading a note from Imogen, a random short story for class, and a goofy smile tugs at her lips every so often. She barely notices Eli as he sits across from her, his eyes curious as he cranes his neck to attempt a glance at the words. _

"_Whatcha got there?" he asks, causing her to jump, and he chuckles when she throws a French fry at him. _

"_It's nothing." He raises his brow, catching her lie. "Okay, fine, it's a short story Imogen wrote for class." She closes her notebook and he smirks. "Alright, what's going on, Eli? You're acting all weird."_

_He shrugs. "I'm just wondering when you two are going to get together already." _

_Adam and Clare choose then to sit down on either side of Eli, both of them staring at him. "Who are we waiting for Fiona to get together with?" Adam asks, turning his head to Fiona as Clare and Eli share a quick kiss. Fiona glances down at her tray, nonchalantly eating a fry. _

"_Imogen." Fiona smiles to herself at the mere mention of the girl's name and realizes the other three students are watching her closely. Fiona feels the heat rise in her face, knowing that Eli purposely said the other girl's name. "Come on, Fiona, you're so obvious sometimes." _

_Fiona opens her mouth to speak, to tell them the truth, but her voice catches when arms slip around her neck from behind and lips touch her cheek briefly. "Hey," a voice whispers in her ear, and she shivers, noticing the expressions of amusement on her friends' faces. "Hey, guys," Imogen greets, taking the seat beside her girlfriend, smile in place._

_Fiona watches her steal a fry before glancing at Eli with a shrug. He smirks, chewing a fry. Adam and Clare begin their own conversation about homework in one of their classes together._

"Imogen!" The woman jumps, books dropping from her arms, and she turns around. Fiona is leaning against a bookshelf, her arms crossed. The smaller woman grins, ignoring the books and meeting her girlfriend halfway through the aisle, kissing her.

A thousand questions run through her head. "When did you get back? How was New York? Why didn't you tell me you were coming back so soon?"

The other woman smiles and shakes her head, nodding toward the front of the bookstore. "Let's go get some coffee, shall we?" Imogen nods, following her girlfriend out through the front door, after turning off the _Welcome_ sign, and into the cold air. Locking the door behind her, her fingers slip into their familiar spaces between Fiona's, having missed the feeling of warmth for six long months.

Once seated at the café, Imogen opens her mouth to speak. "You said you weren't coming back for at least another month."

Fiona grins. "I wanted to surprise you." She takes a sip. "I came back this morning. Eli picked me up from the airport and brought me out here, so I don't have a car…" She shoots a pair of puppy dog eyes in Imogen's direction. The other woman shakes her head and rolls her eyes with a smile. "New York was fine, but it would have been ten times better if you had been there."

Imogen blushes, taking a sip of her coffee. "So how long are you back this time?"

Fiona shrugs. "I don't know, at least a year, I would hope." She shrugs. "Next time I go, I want to take you with me." She stares down at her cup, frowning. "It isn't fun going alone. Yeah, I have Declan and my parents, but they're always so busy with other things."

Imogen adjusts her glasses and frowns. "I'd love to, Fiona, but…"

"Please don't say you can't go. Eli even said he wouldn't mind taking over the shop if he has to. And I _really_ want you to go with me."

_The rain pours on, rattling the tin roof. The two girls lie intertwined, gazing out across the horizon at the setting sun. They're graduating tomorrow, uncertain where their paths will take them, but they have the rest of tonight to be together. Fiona kisses Imogen briefly before tucking her hair behind her ear. She smiles at the younger girl. "I'm going to miss you," she murmurs._

_Imogen rests her head on Fiona's shoulder, frowning. "Why do you have to leave?"_

"_Come with me. My family needs me there, but I don't want to leave you behind." Imogen raises her head to stare at her girlfriend, and Fiona shakes her head. "Of course I'm not leaving you behind, Imogen. I just…if you don't want to go, I promise I'll come back to you."_

"_I can't go."_

Imogen sighs. "I'll think about it." Fiona smiles and reaches across the table, taking her hand. The smaller girl allows herself to be pulled from the seat and out of the café, toward the apartment above the bookstore. She remembers the day that she opened the bookstore, while Fiona was away in New York, the small party Eli had thrown for her, inviting Fiona to be present via video chat.

Fiona had told her she was proud of her, that she was confident in Imogen's success. And the bookstore had truly been a great thing for Imogen. Fiona unlocked the door with the key Imogen had given her months ago, leading the owner of the apartment by the hand. Closing the door behind them, she pulled Imogen close to her, resting her forehead against the shorter girl's. "Honey," she whispered, "I'm home."

ICE

She can't take her eyes off of her. Standing in a sparkling blue cocktail dress is Imogen, deep in conversation with Eli, Clare, and Adam; the four of them laugh occasionally, but Fiona's eyes are set on her girlfriend, waiting for the most opportune moment. She's returned from another three months in New York, Imogen declining just like last time. But she can't blame her. Things are tense between the members of her family, and dragging Imogen into that…it wouldn't end well.

The music sounds so far away, Fiona barely noticing the change in tempo as she sneaks into another room, closing the door behind her. She takes a deep breath, leaning against the treated wood of the door, closing her eyes. Her thoughts of grabbing Imogen and dragging her to an empty room of the house are slowly disappearing with each exhale.

Knuckles rapping against the wood bring her back to reality, and she holds her breath, silently hoping it isn't Imogen. She isn't ready to tell her that she was right in declining her travel offer, that she's slowly becoming an outcast in her own family. "Fiona, I know you're in there," Eli says quietly, as though he knows she's just on the other side. "Let me in." And before she can stop herself, she opens the door, pulls him into the room, and buries her face in his neck as he closes the door behind him. "Things aren't getting any better."

It isn't a question, and she knows that this has happened too many times. But before she can speak, the door opens and Fiona freezes, knowing that Imogen is staring at them, confusion in her eyes. She lets go of Eli entirely and turns to her girlfriend, the smaller woman's mouth opening and closing, attempting to vocalize her thoughts. Fiona speaks first. "I was going to tell you I was back, but things were just…I needed…"

"I know." Fiona tilts her head, as though that will make Imogen's statement less confusing. Imogen sighs. "When you disappeared for two months, I emailed Declan." She glances at Eli, who takes his cue to exit, leaving the women alone. "You know I would have been there if things were that bad, Fiona. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid that you would get caught up in the middle of it and you wouldn't be happy."

Imogen crosses the room, pulling Fiona close to her. "Wherever you are, as long as we're together I'm happy. And besides, we're supposed to go through thick and thin together, remember?"

_Fiona's fingers find Imogen's, playing with the small white gold ring around her finger. The other girl is curled against her, asleep, her breaths slow and shallow. They're finally alone, the apartment packed with their friends hours prior, and Fiona can't be happier. Their vows play in her head, as though they're on a repeat loop, their shared "I love you" and "I do", their promises of thick and thin._

"It's all I've thought about since that night," Fiona whispers.

"Good, because that was one of the best nights of my life." Imogen smiles and kisses Fiona's cheek. "Now come, let's go back to the party and have fun. We can worry about the ice storm later."


End file.
